Sheath removing mechanism



Aug. 25, 1942.

A. A. LUDKE ETAL SHEATH REMOVING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 20, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 25, 1942. A. A. LUDKE mL l 2.293.754

SHEATH REMOVING MECHANISM WTTORNEY Aug. 25, 1942. A. A. LDKE Erm.. 2,293,754 V A SHEATH REMovING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 20, 1940 3 sheets-sheet 3 i* wml El XS- /N VEN ToRs. Wezf.. uo'Ke Cha/'Zes 'rry HTTORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1942 SHEATH REMOVING MECHANISM Alex A. Ludke, Vicksburg, Miss., and Charles F.

' Perry, Alexandria, Va.

Application November 20, 1940, Serial No. 366,508

Claims. (Cl. 30-96) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928: 370 0. G. 757) This invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes,l without the payment to us of any royalty thereon. t

This invention relates to an insulation removing mechanism, more particularly it is directed to a device having for its principal object the removal of metallic sheathing from cables or other electrical conductors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined cable sheath ringer and splitting mechanism which is adapted to easily and quickly produce a longitudinal slit and a transverse circular cut in the metallic sheathing of cables so that the sheathing may be conveniently removed by hand without marring or injuring the cables or insulation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined cable sheath ringer and splitting mechanism for removing metallic sheaths in which electrical conductors are enclosed, which is simple in operation, cheap in construction, efficient in use and which is not liable to become out of order.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of certain features of construction and operation of parts which will hereinafter appear and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved mechanism illustrating a sheath for a cable being split longitudinally and cut transversely in a circular manner by the mechanism for removing a portion of the sheath from the cable;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the mechanism including a clamp engaging a cable shown in section; Y

Fig. 4 is a left end view of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a right end view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I indicates a cable containing electrical conductors 2 surrounded by a sheath 3 or other covering in whichthe improved mechanism is adapted to produce a split longitudinally and a transverse circular cut for removing a portion of the sheath in order that the conductors may be spliced or for other purposes. The cable I is adapted to seat in a trough 4 which is V-shaped in crosssection and mounted longitudinally and centrally of a horizontally extending base plate 5 where it is held in place by being welded thereto as at 6.

The combined cable ringing and splitting mechanism comprises a longitudinal cutter assembly longitudinally in the sheath 3 of the cable I and a rotary cutter assembly indicated generally by B adapted to produce a transverse circular cut in the sheath 3.

The assembly A of the mechanism for splitting the sheath 3 longitudinally comprises the trough d and base plate 6 together with two frame members 'I and l' of inverted substantially U-shaped formation as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, each having two suitably spaced parallel side walls 8 which extend vertically upward from the base plateJII//S and integrally connected at their upper ends /by an end wall 9. The frame members 1 and 1' fare positioned at opposite ends of the base plate 6 transversely thereof with the side walls 8 being equally spaced on opposite sides of the trough 6 and secured to the base plate by being welded thereto, as indicated at I0 in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

The upper end walls 9 of the frame members 'I and l are provided with central screw-threaded openings II and II respectively, shown in Fig. 1, in which vertically extending actuating screws I2 and I2 are adjustably mounted. The lower ends i3 and I3 of the actuating screws l2 and l2' extend downwardly through the end walls 9 into the frame members l and l and are rotatably mounted in the central upper portion of guide blocks I4 and I4 respectively which are rectangular shaped in cross-section and extend. transversely across the side walls 8 of the frame members l and 1' parallel with the upper end walls 9. The guide blocks It and I4 are adapted to be moved vertically within the frame members 1 a horizontally extending threaded shaft I5 having a cutter holder I6 threadably mounted thereon with a cutter wheel Il rotatably mounted on the cutter holder I6. The opposite ends I8 and I9 of vthe shaft I5 are journalled centrally in the guide blocks Ill and III respectively, whereby the shaft is adapted to longitudinally overlie the cable l. The cutter wheel I1 is mounted on the lower side of the cutter holder I6 and is arranged therev on in such a manner as to split the sheath I indicated generally by A for producing a split longitudinal in thev center when in operation.

To cause the cutter holder I6 which is rectangular in cross-section to move in a forward or rearward direction on the shaft I5 and not to turn with the shaft, a pair of horizontally extending guide bars 20 rectangular in cross-section, is provided, one on each side of the shaft I5, with the inner sides thereof frictionally engaging two of the sides of the cutter holder I6. These guide bars 20 extend across the frame members I and 'I' parallel with the shaft I5 where they are secured of the shaftv I5 which is Journalled in the guide block I4 on the frame member 1 at the left of the mechanism has a crank 22 including a handle 23 mounted thereon for rotating the shaft I5, to actuate the cutter holder I6 carrying the cutter wheel I1 longitudinally of the cable I and the end I9 of the shaft I5 which is journalled in the guide block I4' on the frame member 1' has a clamp 24 adustably mounted thereon for holding the cable l so that the sheath 3 thereof may be longitudinally split and circularly cut by the combined splitting and ringing mechanism. 4

'I'he clamp 24 has an inverted V-shaped portion 25 as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 3. for fitting over the cable and is providedwith an upwardly extending portion 26 having a vertically extending elongated slot 21 provided therein through which the end I9 of the shaft I5 projects, whereby the clamp may be adjusted onv the shaft for engaging various size cables. To hold the clamp 24 in an adjusted position on the shaft I5, a nut 28 and lock washer 29 are provided on the outer end I9 of the shaft.

In order to rotate the actuating screws I2 and I2' synchronously for a purpose which will hereinafter appear, sprocket wheels 30 are mounted on the upper ends thereof which sprocket wheels carry a sprocket chain 3|, which is operated by means of a crank 32 including a handle 33 mounted on the upper outer end of the actuating screw I2.

The ringer assembly B of the mechanism for producing a transverse circular cut in the sheath 3 of the cable is connected to the assembly A of the mechanism by means of a bracket 34 which is secured at one end to the inner end of the base plate 5 by being welded thereto or the like. The bracket 34 extends downwardly from the base plate 5 and has two ears or tongues 35 and 36 extending horizontally outwardly therefrom. The tongues 35 and 36 are suitably secured to the lower portion of two concentric guide rings 31 arranged centrally and at right angles to the trough 4 and provide a circular space 38 therebetween in which is frictionally mounted a rotary cutter unit of the assembly B including a main frame portion 39 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 having two suitably spaced side plates 40 provided with upwardly extending curved front ends 4I, forming a fixed jaw. provided with a pair of spaced cutter Wheels 42 which are arranged at right angles to the cutter wheel I1 on the essembly A. The upper ends 43 of the side plates 40 are extended inwardly to engage one side of a boss 44 having a threaded stem 45 provided thereon which extends. at a right angle to the upper ends of the side plates 40 and projects through the space 38 between the two concentric rings 31. The boss 44 is movably held against the guide rings 31 by means of a nut 46 and lock nut 41 which are threadably mounted on the stem 45 at the opposite side of the guide rings from the boss 44. between the boss 44 and the guide rings 31, a bushing 48 and washer 49 made of any suitable material such as bronze may be provided on the stem 45. A threaded opening 50 is formed vertically in the boss 44 for receiving a threaded rod 5I, the inner end 52 of which is rotatably mounted on a cutter holder 53 which is slidably mounted upon a way 54 on the mainframe portion 39, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and In order to reduce frictionV v 2,293,754 .at their opposite ends to the guide blocks I4 and provided with a slotted lower end 59 in which is rotatably mounted a cutter wheel 80. The outer end of the rod 5I has an operating handlel 8| rigidly secured thereto by which the rod may be turned in the boss 44 and the rotary cutter unit of the assembly -B may be turned around on the guide rings 31 for causing the cutter wheels 42 and 60 to cut the sheath 3, circularly with the stem 45 of the boss 44 sliding in the space 38 between the guide rings.

By turning the handle 33 of the crank 32 of the assembly A in -a counterclockwise direction the actuating screws I2 and I2 are rotated in the same direction in the end bars 9 on the frame members 1 and 1 whereby the guide blocks I4 and I4', slidably mounted in the frame members 1 and 1 respectively, are drawn upwardly ln a vertical direction carrying the shaft I5, clamp 24, guide bars 20 andthe cutter holder I6 including the cutter wheel I1 in an upward direction. The handle 23 of the crank 22 is then turned in a counterclockwise direction which` `causes the cutter holder I6 carrying the cutter wheel I1 to be actuated to the left end on the shaft I5.

The rod 5I on the rotary cutter unit of the assembly B is turned by the handle 6I 1n the boss 44 to draw the cutter wheel 60 on the lower end thereof, upwardly until it is high enough to permit the cable I to be inserted between itself and the cutter wheels 42 with the end 62 ofthe cable lying in the trough 4.

'I'he crank 32 of the assembly A of the mechanism is then turned by the handle 33 in a clockwise direction to rotate the actuating screws I2 and I 2 downwardly in the end bars 9 of the frame members 1 and 1' until the clamp 24 on the shaft I5 engage the upper surface of the cable.

The handle 6I on the rod 5I of the rotary cutter u nit of the assembly B is then turned to move the cutter wheel 60 on the lower end of the rod into engagement with the surface of the sheath 3 of the cable and the rotary cutter unit is turned as a whole around'in the circular space 38'between the guide rings 31 repeatedly and during this operation from time to time the rod 5I is turned somewhat by the handle 6I to correspondingly feed the cutter wheel 60 into the sheath 3 which forces the sheath into engagement with the cutter wheels 42 and in this manner the sheath is circularly cut. The rod 5I is then turned to draw the cutter wheel 68 upwardly from the cable and the end G2 of the cable is pulled over in the trough until the circular cut provided therein by the rotary cutter unit of the assembly B is at the inner side edge of the frame member 1. The crank 22 on the portion A of the machine is then rotated in a clockwise direction by the handle 23 to turn the shaft I5 which actuates the cutter holder I6 to the right of the mechanism and causes the cutter wheel I1 to splitthe sheath longitudinally until it reaches the circular cut produced therein by the ringer assembly B of the mechanism Whereupon the crank 32 is rotated by the handle 33 in construction and operation of parts, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes may be made therein if the changes do not depart frcm the claims.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanism for removing sheaths from cables comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a shaft rotatably and adjustably mounted on said frame, a cutting member adjustably mounted on said shaft, a clamp mounted on said shaft and adapted to detachably engage a cable for holding it in a fixed position, means l for moving said shaft toward said cable, whereby said cutting member and clamp engages said cable and means for rotating said shaft for actuating said cutting member to produce a split longitudinally in a sheath of said cable.

2. A mechanism for removing sheaths from cables comprising in combination, a base plate having frame members and a trough for seating a cable mounted thereon, guide blocks slidably mounted in said frame members, a threaded shaft rotatably mounted on said guide blocks, a cutter member. adjustably mounted on said shaft and adapted to be actuated longitudinally of said trough for producing a split longitudinally in a sheath of said cable, a clamp adjustably mounted on said shaft and adapted to detachably engage said cable for holding it in a fixed position in said trough, means mounted on said frame members and connected to actuate said guide blocks for moving said shaft toward said trough, whereby said cutting member and clamp engages said cable and means for rotating said shaft for actul on said frame members and connected to actuate said guide blocks on said frame members,

ber for actuating said cutter for splitting said cable sheath longitudinally.

v5. A mechanism for removing a sheath from cables, comprising in combination a supporting frame, a member adjustably and rotatably mounted on said frame, a clamp and cutter mounted on said member, said cutter adjustably mounted on said member, means for adjusting said member on said frame for moving said clamp and cutter into engagement with a cable, said clamp adapted to detachably engage said cable for holding it in a fixed position and means for rotating said member for actuating said cutter for splitting a sheath of the cable longitudinally.

6. A mechanism for removing sheaths from cables, comprising a supporting frame, a threaded shaft and guide members adjustably mounted on said frame, a cutter member and a clamp mounted on Isaid threaded shaft, said cutter member threadably adjustable on said shaft and said guide members adapted to hold said cutter member in a nonrotative position on said shaft, means for adjusting said shaft and guide members on said frame for moving said cutter member and clamp to produce a split longitudinally in said sheath.

means for simultaneously actuating said screws l for simultaneously actuating said guide blocks for moving said shaft toward said cable, wherea cable sheath and means for rotating said mem- 8. A mechanism for cutting a cable sheath, comprising a support including concentrically mounted guide rings of different diameters and a cutter member cooperating between and adjustably mounted on said guide rings for producing a cut in said cable sheath.

9. A mechanism for cutting a cable sheath, comprising a support including guide rings concentrically mounted within each other, a boss adjustably mounted between said guide rings and a cutter adjustably mounted on said boss and adapted to produce a transverse circular cutln a cable sheath.

10.v A mechanism for cutting a cable sheath, comprising a support including guide rings concentrically mounted within each other, a vboss adjustably mounted circularly between said guide rings, and a cutter member mounted on said boss for producing a. transverse circular cut in said cable sheath, said cutter member including a fixed frame portion carrying cutter blades and 'a portion carrying a cutting blade adjustably mounted on said boss.

' CHARLES F. PERRY.

ALEX A. LUDKE. 

